End of Life Care

Your relationship with your pet is very special. We acquire our pets for a life time of companionship and unconditional love. We assume responsibility for their health and welfare. We rarely think about or are faced with life-or-death decisions. Even though death is a part of the life cycle, it is something we just don’t think about. Sadly, no matter how good a job we do or how successful we are, no matter how healthy our pet’s life has been, no matter how committed you have been to providing the best of care, no matter how great your pet’s health care provider is…death can not be avoided. The imminent or sudden death of a beloved pet can be very emotional. The decisions to be made can be overwhelming. The object of this section is to provide information and support for pet loss and bereavement in preparing for and getting through this inevitable time of life.

How do I know it is time? Can my pet just pass naturally or is euthanasia indicated? If so, when? A decision concerning euthanasia may be the most difficult decision you will ever make regarding your pet. What about quality of life? Is hospice care available? If hospice is to be considered it is best to start planning as far in advance as possible. Most quality of life scales are a better indicator of when to start palliative care than end of life care or hospice care. Hospice care may or may not include euthanasia. This can be a very complex decision and may not be easy to really determine? What about care of my pet’s remains? Your veterinarian usually will offer this service. What about grief support for me and my immediate family (including children)? Is it normal to feel grief for a deceased pet?

ASSOCIATION FOR PET LOSS & BEREAVEMENT We are all professionally trained volunteers in pet bereavement counseling, and are here for you. Our beloved animal friends have brought us together, and in honor of them we are now all here for each other, as well. On our web page links you will see an extensive list of specialized help categories to pick from.

BrightHaven A holistic animal retreat, providing a retirement home for our family of senior, sick and disabled animals.

SPIRITS IN TRANSITION We are a growing network of animal lovers who desire to offer the best possible care to our animal friends throughout their passing, and support people worldwide in providing hospice care for animals.

Pet Loss Support Page Site with state by state information on pet loss grief counseling, care of remains, etc.

Rainbow Bridge Anyone who has ever lost a pet should visit this wonderful site. It is a terrific tribute to our lost family members.

The Nikki Hospice Foundation for Pets The Nikki Hospice Foundation for Pets (The NHFP) is the nation’s first official organization devoted to the provision of hospice care for terminally ill or dying companion animals. Today, the Board of Directors of The NHFP, which is made up of veterinarians and other licensed professionals, is actively involved in promoting the new concept of veterinary hospice care through articles, seminars and interviews with local and national news media.

Pet Loss Hotline Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine’s hotline plus other quality of life Quality of life information.

Argus Institute The Mission of the Argus Institute is to strengthen veterinarian-client-patient communication and support relationships between people and their companion animals. Colorado State University.

IAAHPC The International Association for Animal Hospice and Palliative Care (IAAHPC) is an interdisciplinary organization dedicated to promoting comfort oriented nursing and medical care for companion animals as they near the end of their life and as they die.